Why You Shouldn’t Feed Your Dog With Chocolates

A lot of us are fond of eating chocolates, and when our dogs see us chewing something, they’d always rush to us, show that adorable face and a wagging tail, and they get a piece of what we eat. But did you know that chocolates are a “no-no” to dogs?

Theobromine, a naturally- occurring compound in chocolate and cocoa, both a stimulant and diuretic. Toxicity in this substance depends on a milligram-kilogram basis — the amount of chocolate intake and the weight of the dog. Since it is a cardiac stimulant, this may precipitate a cardiac arrhythmia which may lead to a heart attack. Also, its composition is irritating to the gastrointestinal tract of your pet, which may cause internal bleeding and eventually, death. Under 200mg theobromine per kilogram body weight, no deaths have been observed, so better if you begin reading labels of different chocolates since they vary in theobromine concentration. Milk chocolate has 44-66 mg/oz, dark chocolate 450 mg/oz and baking/bitter chocolate or cocoa powder varies as much as 150-600 mg/oz. If ever you have fed your dog with chocolates, try inducing vomiting or take him to the vet ASAP. Theobromine stays in the bloodstream for 14 to 20 hours. Whereas in the absence of major symptoms, administer activated charcoal. The unabsorbed theobromine will chemically bond to this substance and soon be eliminated in the feces. No activate charcoal? Burnt toast will do.